Wheel construction



April 15, 1930. H. L. KRAEFT WHEEL CONSTRUCTION Filed June 9, 1928 Fey-Patented Apr. 15, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HERMAN Ii. KRAEF'I',OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE MURRAY OHIO MANU- FACTURING COMPANY,OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO WHEEL CONSTRUCTION Originalapplication filed November 14, 1927, Serial No. 233,022. Divided andthis application filed June The primary object of this invention is toprovide an improved and simplified hub construction for a juvenilevehicle wheel.

A further object is to provide a hub construction, wherein the cap whichconceals the end of the axle may be very simply formed and effectivelyheld in place.

Further objects and features of the invention will become apparent fromthe following description relating to the accompanying drawing, whereinI show the preferred form. The essential characteristics will besunnnarized in the claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a wheel embodying theinvention; Fig. 2 is a substantially central cross section through thewheel showing the hub cap construction Referring in detail to thedrawing, 1 and 2 are discs forming the main body of the wheel,

the discs having the central portion thereof spaced apart to provide abearing support, and having their outer or rim portions brought togetherfor rigid attachment as by spot welding. The discs may be flanged as at3 to provide a support for a resilient tire 4:-

The bearing construction includes a pair of plates 6 secured at thecenter of the hub, one plate for each disc. These plates are cupped attheir central portions, as at T, the cupped portions projectingoutwardly in opposite directions through openings 5 in respective discs,and formed to receive the ends of rolling bearing elements 8. Thebearings form a part of the subject matter of my copending applicationSerial No. 233,022, filed November 14th, 1927, of which the presentapplication is a division.

Suitable means, such as a cage or retainer 2. more fully shown anddescribed in my said application, may form a support for the rollers tohold them in position in the cupped portions 7 of the plates 6, when thewheel is off the axle.

Each of the discs 1 and 2 is shown as having a series of arcuatelyspaced slots at 10, and each of the plates 6 has lugs at 11, adapted toextend from the interior of the wheel outwardly through the slots, andto be bent over as at 12 and 13.

The axle 14 extends through centralopen- Serial. No. 284,160.

ings in the plates 6, and may be held in place, against axial movementin one direction, as by a washer 15 and cotter pin 16. In order to guardthe free end of the axle, I provide a cupshaped cap having a depressedcentral portion 18, and side wall 19 from which extends, outwardly, acontinuous flange 20, the outer edge of which stops just short of theslots 10 of the disc 1. In Fig. 2 it will be seen that the lugs 12directly engage the cap flange 20, thereby holding the cap in place onthe disc, as gell as securing the cupped plate 6 to the ISC.

One advantage of the construction is that it does away with spot weldingor riveting operations for holding the plates, such as 6, in place, andaffords equal facility for placing the cap on either side of the wheel.be understood that the material for the cap may be fairly thin, whilethe material for the plates which hold the bearings should be muchstronger and thicker, and therefore, the lugs will have acorrespondingly greater strength then as though such lugs were formed onthe cap to cooperate with openings in the discs. A furthersimplification of the advantage appears in that the cap may be madecheaper than when provided with the lugs.

I claim:

1. In a wheel including a disc body portion, an annular plate lyingadjacent the disc and forming "part of the hub structure and throughwhich a portion of the axle is adapted to extend, projections extendingoutwardly from the plate, the disc having openings to receive theprojections, and a hub cap overlying the central portion of the Wheel,said projections being bent into engagement with the cap to hold the capin place.

2. In a wheel construction of the type employing wheel-body formingseparated discs, a hub construction comprising a pair of plates, one foreach disc and disposed inwardly therefrom toward the center of thewheel, said plates being adapted and arranged to support an axle andbearings therefor, a plurality of lugs upstruck from one of the plates,openings in the adjacent discs to receive the lugs, and a hub caparranged to conceal the It will end of such axle and having a flangeextending close to the lugs, the lugs being bent inwardly toward theaxis of the wheel over said flange to hold In testimon signature.

the cap in place. y whereof, I hereunto afiix my HERMAN L. KRAEFT.

